EastEnders reveals Linda Carter's unexpected blackmailer in early iPlayer release

Having murdered Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), Linda was involved in a plot to frame her rapist, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), for the crime.

Reeling from the discovery of an ominous typed message that warned she was set to be exposed, Linda and her son Johnny (Charlie Suff) discussed who might be responsible.

Johnny tried to find out whether Dean's associate, Fraser (Greg Esplin), could have left the note. But detective friend Callum Highway (Tony Clay) confirmed that Fraser was still in custody, now suspected of interfering with the statements of other witnesses.

Later, Johnny met with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Denise Fox (Diane Parish). Sharon told Johnny that if Linda didn't visit the police station to confirm that Fraser and Dean had tried to force her into a deal, Sharon would drag her there herself.

This led Johnny to suspect that Sharon may be behind the blackmail, and he soon found another note which ordered Linda to confess.

Linda was certain she would crumble amid the mysterious threats, and, at the end of his tether, Johnny unleashed a furious rant about how her actions would ruin the lives of his siblings, Ollie and Annie. Shocked by Johnny's words, Linda agreed to go to the station.

But when a third blackmail note told Linda she would pay if she didn't come clean, Linda lost all control and accused several Queen Vic punters of double-crossing her; including co-conspirator Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Bernie Taylor (Clair Norris), who were both holding envelopes for entirely different reasons.

Stacey ordered Johnny to keep Linda in check, and Linda struggled to cope with her new ordeal as Johnny promised to find the culprit.

Meanwhile, Bernie left the pub, saying she had to go to a flat viewing. But in the prison, Dean was seen speaking to the blackmailer, who was revealed to be Bernie!

Dean declared that Linda was now close to breaking point, and Bernie confirmed that she believed Dean was innocent of Keanu's murder; although she and Dean haven't quite unearthed the full truth.

"Linda knows who really killed your brother," added Dean.

"We're gonna get the truth out of her," vowed Bernie.

Will Linda and The Six uncover Dean and Bernie's scheme – and will Bernie realise that Linda herself is the true killer?

Read more:

• EastEnders airs blackmail twist for Linda Carter in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders airs dark threat for Nish Panesar in dramatic early BBC iPlayer release
• 6 EastEnders spoilers next week: Linda Carter in peril and Cindy Beale is under suspicion
• EastEnders airs Eve Unwin's shock proposal to Suki Panesar in early release - will Suki say yes?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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